Here is chart of the basic shapes you will encounter in Pipe shape selecting; minus the churchwarden and semi-churchwarden.

There are basically three types of tobacco pipes commonly used:

COBCORN - A great beginner pipe; if you decide pipe smoking is not for you, you haven’t spent a lot of money. Actually made from corncob, it is easily cared for, very durable, and disposable. Eventually they wear out but you can always buy another one for about $5.

BRIAR - This is the closely grained burl joint between the stem and roots of the Heath tree, which grows in rocky slopes on the hillsides of Mediterranean countries. This burl is very tough, close-grained, and porous. It will not crack when exposed to heat. Good briar is hard to find, as the larger shrubs take a very long time to mature. The most suitable root may be 80 to 100 years old, and the finest pipe briar may be from a shrub that is over 200 years old.

he easiest way to tell if you have a well-aged briar is by the weight. A pipe that is made with well-aged briar will be very light in weight. If you hold two similar pipes together by the stem, the lighter, more balanced pipe will inevitably be made with older briar. Many of the very inexpensive drugstore pipes, like Dr. Grabow, are made with very young or flawed briar. Many of these cheaper pipes rely on filters to keep the smoke cool. A properly aged briar does not need a filter because the briar is extremely porous. Briar pipes are rated by the purity of the grain. A perfectly straight grain or Birdseye grain (little tight grained swirls), will command a very steep price. These pipes are purely for aesthetics and prized by collectors. They do not smoke any differently than a less-than-perfect grain. You can also save a considerable amount of money if you are not concerned with grain quality.

f you really want to find a good pipe for a bargain, you might want to opt for a sandblast briar. The briar used for these pipes have flaws in them such as very ugly grain or little holes in the wood. These pipes are then sandblasted into a rough grain. Sandblasted pipes are extremely porous and smoke very cool. Briar pipes are also sold as seconds. The tiny holes or imperfections in these pipes are filled with putty and then stained. Many of these pipes can be purchased for $5 to $20. If perfect, these pipes would sell for considerably more money.

MEERSCHAUM - Composed of the fossilized shells of tiny sea creatures that fell to the ocean floor millions of years ago, the highest quality meerschaum is found in only one place in the world: Eskisehir, in central Turkey. Many meerschaum pipes are hand carved into works of art. The meerschaum pipe gives the tobacco a very unique, cool smoking flavor. It absorbs far more moisture than a briar pipe. The pipe starts out pearl-white and eventually becomes a beautiful deep-brown color as it breaks in. This is one of the most appealing features of this type of pipe. Meerschaum pipes are a prized addition to many smokers’ collections.

Q: I'm a relatively new pipe smoker. .... how much should I spend on a pipe? Rich S.

A: There are several factors to consider when purchasing a pipe as a new smoker. The first, and probably the most obvious, is a function of your individual financial situation. $100 for some is a lot of money and for others not. Secondly, what brought you to pipe smoking? Cigars? Quitting cigarettes? Curiosity? What I'm getting at is ... might this be a fad or is it something you are willing to put the time into? Lastly, do you plan on smoking mainly outdoors or in the comfort of any easy chair? Based on your thoughts about what I've posed to you, here are our recommendations;Buy the most pipe you can afford at this time. Whatever you do, do not buy a cheap drug store type pipe. They simply do not smoke very well and will give you a bad first impression of pipe smoking in general. The smoking quality of pipes does increase as the cost of the pipe increases until you get to the $100 - $150 range. After that you start to pay for the aesthetic qualities of the pipe. There are some great smoking $40 pipes on our web site such as the Savinelli Budget Pipes and the Brindisi line. A step up from there would be the main line Savinelli, Brebbia and Stanwell. When selecting a pipe I believe pride of ownership plays a role as well. Also remember to leave a little room in your budget for a decent tamper and tobacco pouch. These two items will greatly enhance your smoking pleasure. As to why I asked where you'll be smoking your pipe for the most part ... the answer is simple. If you plan on doing a lot of smoking outdoors, while working in the yard and such, you might what to consider a rusticated pipe. The wear and tear of being outdoors will be far less noticeable on a pipe with a rough finish. Rusticated pipes generally cost less than smooth pipes. If you'll be smoking mostly indoors treat yourself to a smooth, polished pipe with as nice a grain pattern as you can find in your price range. As you sit and enjoy your pipe indoors you'll find that your senses will come alive. Smell, taste and touch all play a role. With a handsome pipe even sight becomes a pleasure.

Q: I'm interested in buying my first pipe. Should I get a bent style pipe or straight? Malcom T.

A: Pipes are like shoes in many respects. What is attractive and comfortable to one person might be all wrong for another. From a technical stand point, here are a few considerations. Straight pipes tend to burn a little more evenly, cleanly and perhaps even a little cooler. The trade off is that holding it firmly in your teeth requires much more effort than a bent pipe due to basic leverage. If you tire of holding it in your teeth you'll need a free hand to hold it. Also, those of us who, over the course of time, have traded in our natural teeth for the man made kind might not have an easy time with larger straight pipes. I find straight pipes with saddle stems to be the most comfortable ... but that's me. Bent pipes are much easier to hold in your mouth and do not exert nearly as much leverage as a straight pipe. They also allow the smoker to catch an occasional whiff of their own tobacco directly from the bowl. Most people find them much easier to light and keep lit because you can see more of what your doing. The downside? When holding a bent pipe in your mouth over an extended period of time saliva tends to run down the stem causing moisture in the bowl which leads to a hot, gurgling pipe. Some less expensive bent pipes will not pass a pipe cleaner through without taking the stem off. That's OK when the bowl is cool but a major no-no when the bowl is hot.

partial source: vegassmoke

Saturday, January 10, 2009

85
comments:

Anonymous
said...

I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this issue. One of our members made an interesting post about how smokers in general are helping the anti-tobacco lobby by dividing ourselves and making it easier to defeat us. The post is titled, "Divided We Fall: The Self Segregation of Smokers". You can read it here: http://pipesmagazine.com/python/pipe-news/divided-we-fall-the-self-segregation-of-smokers/

1. Meerschaum, as I learned decades ago when I started smoking, is made primarily of beeswax.

2. There needs to be more understanding of shapes. I.e., Canadians don't even look at the shape of bowls--they look at the shank and bit shapes.

Also, i.e., your chart shows what you call a "Squat Bulldog", and it may be that generically, but this shape is a straight Dunhill "Rhodesian". All that needs to be made clear.

3. Beginners advice, I like that a lot. A straight pipe with saddle stem is my most favorite also, and I appreciate that you're about the only guy who discloses this information on the net, about it being the most comfortable. The issue of denture-wearing pipe smokers is just not addressed.

Does a stem pipe catch more tar than a bent stem? I have been using by choice a bent stem, but now trying a straight stem which both have the disposable filter, however I want less tar in my lungs of course, and it seems the straight stays cleaner than a bent stem.

Informative read about pipe shapes and types,Choosing a pipe ,much like choosing a favorite cigar,is a very subjective matter.Basically the majority of pipes sold today,whether hand made or machine made, are fashioned from briar.

Your blog is very informative.A beginner can enjoy more if they read your blogs.I like your thoughts.You have given enough information about the cigar pipes.Choosing a best pipe is quiet easy now.Thanks for sharing your posts.

I am thoroughly convinced in this said post. I am currently searching for ways in which I could enhance my knowledge in this said topic you have posted here. It does help me a lot knowing that you have shared this information here freely.Mini Hookah

Would you mind if I quotе a sеveral of уоur articles or blog posts as long as I ρrονіde cгedit and sources returning to your ωеblog: http://wwω.bloggeг.com/commеnt.g?blogID=5833059330930098968&postID=2963536059370332146.I most certainly will aslo be sure to give уou the approρrіate аnchor-teхt link using your webpage title: Blogger: The Pipе Rack.Please be sure to let me know if this is οkаy ωith you.Τhanks alοt :)

After I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be a means you can remove me from that service?Kudos!Review my web blog - mac baren dark twist

Aw, this was an extremely good post. Finding the time and actual effort to create a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and don't manage to get anything done.Also visit my web site :: Asuntoja Alanyassa

Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason appeared to be on the net the simplest thing to be aware of.

I say to you, I definitely get irked while people think about worries that they plainly do not know about.

You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal.Will likely be back to get more. ThanksFeel free to surf my blog post - propertyinturkeyforsale.net

naturally like your web-site but you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts.Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I to find it very troublesome to inform the truth however I'll certainly come back again.My weblog : skin whitening

I'm really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It's a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Superb work!My page: how to lose man boobs

Hey would you mind letting me know which hosting company you're using? I've loaded your blog in 3 different web browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most. Can you recommend a good hosting provider at a fair price?Kudos, I appreciate it!Take a look at my page ... nicer skin

I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme.Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz respond as I'm looking to design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. kudosMy webpage : http://boligityrkia.net/eiendom-bodrum

Please let me know if you're looking for a article author for your site. You have some really great posts and I believe I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I'd love to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please blast me an email if interested.Thanks!Look into my homepageways to make money at home

When someone writes an post he/she maintains the thought of a user in his/her mind that how a user can know it. Therefore that's why this article is amazing. Thanks!Also see my web site > homemade acne treatments

Үou're so interesting! I don't ѕuppose I have read thrοugh something like thіѕ beforе.Sο great to discover ѕomeone with oгiginal thoughts on this issue.Seriouѕly.. thanκ yοu for ѕtaгting this up. This web site is оne thіng that is needed on thе web, someоne with a lіttle originality!

Fiгѕt of аll I want to say awesome blog!I had a quіck queѕtion in which I'd like to ask if you do not mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing. I'vе haԁ a ԁifficult time cleаring my thoughts in getting my thoughts out.Ӏ tгuly do take pleаsure іn ωritіng but it јust seems liκe the first 10 to 15 minutes arе generally ωastеԁ just trying to fіgure οut hoω to begіn.

Fantastіc goods frοm you, man. I've understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely wonderful. I really like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it smart. I can not wait to read much more from you. This is really a tremendous website.

The straightforward trend captivated more persons' consideration in a quick time. Carry out these ideas and tricks to essentially get fantastic outcomes. 30 newspaper, we'll have a chat with Sue Gray of Champaign. air max sneakers have gone a extensive way given that they had been developed in 1987. http://Www.Airmax90S2013.Co.uk

An Xbox Live membership allows you to take benefit from all the contents on the Xbox website in addition to your gaming console.This isn't anything new to the "Silver" accounts, though. There are The net online sites which provide each of these requirements: like for example ,, but are not tied to, Invision Costless Webpages certain, Invision No-cost Web pages 4, Xbox live, Gaming system Absolutely free Specific zones, Absolutely free Zone Amazing benefits, Business Pack Community forum, Video game Lagoon, Xbox 360 system, Display box Manage and more.

Great work! This is the kind of information that are supposed to be shared around the internet. Disgrace on the search engines for no longer positioning this post upper! Come on over and discuss with my site . Thanks =)

My programmer is trying to convince me to move to .net from PHP.I have always disliked the idea because of the costs.But he's tryiong none the less. I've been using WordPress on several websites for about a year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress posts into it?Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I have been browsing online more than 2 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be much more useful than ever before.

My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post's to be exactly what I'm looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content for yourself?I wouldn't mind publishing a post or elaborating on many of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome web site!

Just wish to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness in your post is just excellent and i could assume you're an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the enjoyable work.

First of all I would like to say superb blog! I had a quick question that I'd like to ask if you don't mind. I was curious to find out how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing. I've had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my ideas out. I truly do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or tips? Cheers!

I like the valuable information you provide in your articles.I will bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently.I am quite sure I will learn many new stuff right here!Best of luck for the next!

But cellulite can also be a problem for some men, and with certain hormonal conditions it is actually quite common.And also some of the underweight people are also such complaints.You must understand that the body is designed to move.

Its like you read mу thoughts! Yοu seem to grasp ѕo much apprοximately thіs, such as yοu wrote the guidе in it or something. I feel that you just could do with somе peгcent to foгce thе mesѕage home a bit, but instead of that, thаt is mаgnifіcent blog. A fantastіс read.I will cеrtainly be back.

Admiring the commitment you put into your site and detailed information you offer.It's awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn't the same old rehashed material.Wonderful read! I've bookmarked your site and I'm including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

Woah! I'm really loving the template/theme of this website. It's simple, yet effective.A lot of times it's very difficult to get that "perfect balance" between superb usability and appearance. I must say you have done a superb job with this. In addition, the blog loads extremely quick for me on Internet explorer. Excellent Blog!

Hello! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us so I came to look it over. I'm definitely loving the information. I'm book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Excellent blog and outstanding style and design.

Woah! I'm really digging the template/theme of this site. It's simple, yet effective.A lot of times it's hard to get that "perfect balance" between superb usability and appearance. I must say you've done a superb job with this. Also, the blog loads extremely quick for me on Opera. Exceptional Blog!

Skin whitening creams or products lighten your skin tone only to one shade but first time in the history you would be able to use Natural Glow Skin Whitening Pills that promise you to grab 1-3 shade lighter skin tone only in 3 months. If you continue usage then you can also expect 3-6 shade lighter skin tone. Voila! No natural product can offer you this “Whitening gift pack”.

Today i am going to tell you the quick remedy for the brightness\whiteness of skin. This is one of the best face whitening secret, this tip is very effective to lighten your dark skin by Natural Home Remedies 4 all. This skin lightening treatment is very effective. Many skin whitening home remedies usually don't work, but in this video i have shown you the results. This skin whitening remedy will remove your wrinkles, dark spots and un-healthy skin. the scrub in this video will make your skin glowing and fairer, and the mask will make it more smooth, soft, baby skin and bright.

If you get injured, you will need to report it to the insurance service provider and give information about the loss. You can go for injury claims if you are injured by an auto accident or any other method. Usually, the injured person would be asked to submit medical reports to the insurance service provider. The claims are settled as a single lump sum. Life Insurance Terms

Hei dude the information that you provided that was awesome.I really like your way.but some days ago i was visiting a site which also provide Crack software download way and here anyone can download all kinds of crack software,so if you have much time you also can visit the site and check it out Cracktaking.com

Your website content is very effective and help full for people.I understood that you try to clear that concept about this subject.But i also read another content from another website.Cracks software Download I think it's most better full content to your website content.So i suggest you, if you have a time to on your hand you will try to visit this website.http://crackstools.com